Wortham, Texas
Wortham is a small town in Freestone County, in the East Texas region near the western edge of the Piney Woods, about 44 miles northeast of Waco. It sits in gently rolling country that saw an oil boom in the 1920s, when the Wortham field brought a rush of drilling and rapid growth to the area. The town is also closely associated with the influential blues musician Blind Lemon Jefferson, who was born in the surrounding countryside and is buried in Wortham.
Property here runs through the Freestone Central Appraisal District and the county tax office — the homestead exemption, the appraisal cap, protests, and any MUD, PID, or special districts all sit at the parcel level. The Freestone County notes below cover the practical details, with the official county directory for the appraisal district and tax office.
Freestone County notes
What to know around Wortham
Property Tax
Two offices handle your property tax in Freestone County
The appraisal district sets your property value; a separate tax office collects what you owe. They are different offices with different jobs.
State Park
Fairfield Lake State Park closed in 2023 — public access is gone for now
Fairfield Lake State Park permanently closed in February 2023 when the land was sold to a private developer, ending public access to the lake and its facilities.
Mineral Rights
Oil and gas have shaped Freestone County since 1916
Freestone County has active oil and gas production, so when you buy land here, check whether the mineral rights are included or have already been severed.
Local History
Freestone County is the birthplace of blues musician Blind Lemon Jefferson
Blues pioneer Blind Lemon Jefferson was born near Wortham and is buried at what is now Blind Lemon Memorial Cemetery.
Nearby
Places near Wortham
Nearby counties
Local notes for nearby counties
Navarro County
24 local notes · DFW / North Texas
Limestone County
7 local notes · Austin / Central Texas / Hill Country
Hill County
12 local notes · DFW / North Texas
Ellis County
27 local notes · DFW / North Texas
Leon County
5 local notes · East Texas / Piney Woods
Henderson County
23 local notes · East Texas / Piney Woods
Next steps for Wortham
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Model school and local rates, the homestead exemption, and the appraisal cap.
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Property tax, land, outdoors, vehicles, rules, and history for the county.
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